Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 197 — page 3: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

= A? —, — J “ A very affecting story—too affecting to be | told at full length,” said the chief, with som¢?- thing close akin to a sneer in his tones. “‘ Time is valuable. When business is not quite so pressing, we will gladly listen, but now—this deceived husband was yourself?” ** An’ the false fri’nd was the man poople now call Revolver Robinson—” “Exactly. You sought but could’ not find him, until new, else we would be rejoicing over his corpse, instead of plotting against bis life. Number Three, we will hear what charges you have to bring against Revolver Robinson.” The third man spoke up promptly, in a strong German accent, but it is not necessary for us to enter more fully into details. From last it was one black record of crime, treachery and unbridled passions. If one-half that was alleged against him was true, then Revolver Robinson, the Red-Handed, rich! y deserved the sanguinary title which fame had given him, When Number Five ceased speaking, there was a brief silence, broken at last by the chief. ‘‘Gentlemen, you havo all spoken, and to the point. Each one has made a charge against Revolver Rob, dark and serious enough to doom him to death, even if only that single crime could be proved, But deep and deadly as are the wrongs you have suffered, if necessary I could bring a hundred others who have quite as bitter vause to hate this demon. I could raise a regiment of men who long for the death of Revolver Robinson, who would gladly join with asin our projected crusade against him and his—for that he has many strong and dar- ing friends, you know as well as I. ‘*T also have cause to hate this man. have slain him, time and again, but I am aim- ing at more than his life. Simple death would be no great punishment for such a fiend incar- nate. To do him justice, he values his own life as lightly as he holds that of his enemies. Whatever else may be said against him, no man can accuse him of having one drop of cowardly blood in his veins. So far as brute courage oes, a braver man never drew the breath of ife, “Granting this, as we must, we must also admit that in plovting against him, we are taking our lives in our hands, for if the faintest suspicion of eur purpose ever reaches the ears of Revolver Rob, he will strike swift and sure, unless we forestallhim, This we can and will do, if you trust allto me, And [solemnly swear to I could ' give you the sweetest revenge mortal heart could wish, “Tt have not entered into this matter with my eyes shut, Every step has been carefully weighed, and I can seo the end clearly before me, You may or may not know each other, but I have read your most secret thoughts, and chose you from among a hundred others, any and all of whom would have gladly accepted the chance which I now offer you. ‘* We are bound together by our mutual ha- tred for this red-handed desperado. One and all we have sworn to never know rest until bis crimes bave been expiated by his death. “Tt would not be such a difficult task, were his death alone to be considered, but he has sathered about hima gang of desperadoes only ess dangerous than himself, each of whom has sworn to avenge the fall of any member of the league. To kill him, we must kill a score of otbers, unless we do our workin secret, Even then the chances are that the slayer will falla ‘victim to the gang of Revolver Rob. But even so, shall we hold back and suffer him to go onin his bloody career, to make others suffer as we have saffered? I, for one, say no!” “The six o’ us kin bounce him at the same time, an’ gitaway with both hirh an’ sech o’ the ang as may be along with the p’izen cuss at the Fime ” said number one. “Time enough for that when tbe plans I have formed shall have failed,” quickly added the chief. “ Listen, gentlemen: “Our chief aim is the death of Revolver Robinson. But I believe that we can accom- plish that at the same time we are filling our own pockets with gold. Revenge is sweet, but it is none the less so when coupled with a snug little fortune. , ‘Revolver Rob is the head of a regularly or- ganized band. of highwaymen and road-agents. heir purpose is to rob and kill. They have struck more than one blow, already, and are now completin 4 arrangements for a stroke that will electrify the whole conntry. Never mind how I came to learn this: enough that it is the truth. If you will second me, we will reap the reward instead of them— The chief abruptly ceased speaking, and there was a hasty movement—then the bright glare of a pistol- ot. CHAPTER II. THE AIR OF THE LEAGUE, A WILD, agonized cry was blended with the muffled report of the pistol, and by that brief lare, the five members of the strangely-formed jeague caught a glimpse of two figures in what seemed a death-grapple, their arn s ‘ntertwined, their bodies haha to and fro,’ n falling to the ground with a dull thump. first to | | | | | | Sse yp Revolver Rob, the Red-Handed. For a moment. they were paralyzed. Brief ‘as had been the red light of the exploding wea- pon, they had seen that their number was com- plete without the addition of the one who was grappling with their chief, and like a revela- tion the startling truth flashed upon them. ‘It’s that cussed Revolver Rob, or some o’ his gang!” cried Number One, with a snarling curse of rage. * **Close in an’ lmife the whe!p!” cried another. “Hold!” came a clear, commanding voice from the darkness—the voice of their chief. ‘Hold! Not a move, not a step, until Isay the word! The man who burns powder or tries to flee, shall die the death of a dog by my hand!” ‘*Whoorav! the boss is right eend up—” ** Silence!” sternly cried the chief. “ Where one snake has crept, others may be lurking. One of you stand by the rope and kill the first man who tries to escape by that means. Ready, now—but beware lest you strike a friend in- stead of an enemy.” Even as Le spoke, the chief drew the slide of his dark-lantern, sweeping the clear light around the scene with a steady motion. With eyes aglow and weapons drawn, the five mem- bers of the league glared around them, ready to seal their dangerous secret with the life- blood of any spying foeman; but the fan- ra light revealed only their own figures and that of a prostrate shape which lay at the feet of the chief. : ‘Stand by the rope, Number One,” said the chief, shortly, as he stooped over the motion- less form for an instant, then arising with a hard laugh. “There’s nothing further to fear from this rascal. We'll leave him for a mo- ment, while we see whether or no he has any comrades in his spying: Ready, men! If there are others here, we must take them, dead or alive!” The leve] on which the conspirators stood was not an extensive one, being nothing more than a rude sort of chamber, some twenty feet square, while from ono side, extended a tunnel, not more than six or seven feet in hight and breadth. Both chamber and tunnel were shored and braced with rough timbers, to guard against the sides and roof caving in upon the workers, and these were still in a state of good preservation, though years had come and gone since the old mine was worked, or, in all proba- bility, even occupied until on this peculiar occa- sion, Yet, limited though it was in extent, the old mine afforded many a spot where a spy might lie hidden from all save a close examina- tion, thanks to the gnarled and knotted timber. Foot by foot the chamber and the tunnel were examined by the conspirators, but with- out the discevery of any more eavesdroppers, and once more the six men stood together in the opening below the old shaft. ‘*One word before we proceed any further, gentlemen,” the chief wttered, his voice sound- ing cold and stern. ‘*Can you swear, upon honor, that none of you let drop, either on pur- or unwittingly, our intention of meeting ere to-night?’ As one man they responded. WNeither word nor action of theirs could have betrayed the rendezvous. The chief seemed to read the truth in their tones, for his voice was softer as he spoke again. “And Tam equally sure that I am innocent. But all the same, we have been spied upon and our plans overheard by one of the most danger- ous tools of Revolver Robinson. Behold!” Stooping he raised the head of the prostrate figure, turning the flood of light upon the pain and rage-distorted features. Eagerly the men pressed forward, and from the lips of several come cries of anger and amazement. With a grim laugh the chief spoke: ~* “You were ever a bold player, Ned Wick- low,” he said, tapping the face of the dead man with one finger, hatred and contempt mingling in his voice. ‘“‘ But I have called the turn on you this time!” ; **He’s one o’ Revolver Rob's an then?” asked Number One, adding apologetically: ‘‘ Ye know I told ye I hedn’t bin in these diggin’s but a day or two, an’ so hain’t—” | “ t’s plain enough, else you’d never ask such a question,” sai the chief, with a short laugh. ‘‘ Ever since he bas been in these parts, Ned Wicklow has been the shadow of Revolver Rob, his right-hand man in all things. He and Lucky Jackson are the only two men whom the head devil really trusts. That fact alone is proof enough that Wicklow was here for no friendly ‘a OW ae the pesky imp is dead enough now an’ what he found out on this spyin’ P won't do nuther him nur his boss ov . Lueky you found the cuss out in time!” ‘*It was a piece of luck,” said the chief, clear- ing his throat, as he lowered the head of the dead man and rose erect once more. “ Twice while I was speaking to you, I fancied I could fee] the presence of some one close behind me, and believed that it was one of you five, sneak- ing around to try and mark me so that you would know me when we met outside. I knew that nome would act thus, unless a traitor at heart, if not in reality, and resolved to read 3 him a lesson which would not be easily for- gotten. an J | ‘*For that reason I flashed the light upon | you, but I soon realized my mistake, for even as I scrutinized you five, I heard the faint sound of breathing over my shoulder.” ‘* Ef you’d only jest spoke the word—” * No doubt you would soon have settled ac- counts with the spy,” laughed the chief, “ but at the same time some of us might have lost the number of our mess, and I ge savage not to run that risk. That I was right, you can see for yourselves. Ned Wicklow bas gone over the range, and our secrets are safe. At least Re- volver Rob will never learn them from this spy.’ f Und I hopes he vill soon pe vere der duyfel "ll keep him so puisy as be von’t haf no dimes vor dinkin’ ’pout anydin’ ut how vearvul hot der vedder is bin crowin’, right off. Dot dirdy guss’'d make a pooty gorbus, I dinks—so/” **You shall put it to vote, men, after I have told you all my views concerning the matter,” said the chief, quietly. ‘‘I still think that we can put this desperado to better use than to kill him off-hand, but I may be wrong. You shall judge. “As I said before, not one among you all have one-half the cause to hate Revolver Robin- son that I have. A score ef deaths could not begin to satisfy the debt of vengeance which I owe him. His life shall pay the forfeit at an early day, but in the meantime I propose to make him pay big money for the trouble and expense he is putting us to. You are none of you so rich but what you can stand to be richer.” **Gelt is goot!” grunted the German, and that he expressed the views of his mates, was clear enough from the murmur of approval which eame from out the darkness. “**Long’s it don’t resk losin’ our grip onto Pati Rob, that is,” supplemented Number ne, ‘*That of course,” retorted the chief, a little impatiently. ‘' When you come to know me better, you will see that | am the last man on earth to forget the debt that Revolver Robinson owes me. Now listen: **Common sense must tell you that Lam play- ing this game for a big stake, else I would not be taking so much trouble with it. It does not concern you, though, what my objeet is, outside the death of our mutual enemy. Enough that I am willing to not only share such danger as our plotting against him and bis crowd incurs, but am ready to pay you comfortable wages from this night untal we can say our prayers over the grave of the dead desperado.” ‘*Three cheers for the boss, boys!” cried one of the conspirators, carried away by this un- looked-for generosity; but the ehief quickly checked this demonstration. ‘*Hold! Not a sound above your breath. There may be more spies than this dead dog trying to get at the bottem of our secrets. Don’t forget again that we are playing the game of death, and a single f move may run out the scoreagainst us. We’re bucking against a bard crowd in Revolver Robinson and bis gang.” There was a brief silence after this sharp re- proof. None of the five cared to speak, and the chief seemed lost in deep thougbt forthe ~ time being. But ere long he shook to- gether, and resumed: ‘‘ I was telling you of the double lives led by Revolver Rob and his crowd, when I had to rub out that troubleseme fellow, Ned Wicklow. What I said then, I now repeat. They are playing a hea game than any to be seen over the card-tables. That does well enough as a blind, and they make enough to explain their sears to ae th aan a e = one ollar by gambling, the gang makes a hundred by still more hare taced: ro y- In plainer words, Revolver Robinson‘and his gang are road-agents of the most desperate oe a ‘More than once [’ve thonght that they could tell something about Gold Mask and his outfit that would astonish the natives, did they take the notion to speak,” said Number Five. ' “And right there your head was level,” ee tf confirmed the chief. ‘‘ Revolver Rob and Gold Mask are one and the same person.” A simultaneous of wonder broke from the five. The chief laughed softly, like one who — enjoyed the sensation produced by his words, For the past year, all Arizona had been startled by the daring a and numerous robberies committed by a band of rough-riders under command of one who wore a full mask of hed and richly chased gold, from which he taken his nom de guerre. At times he eagge do panes courtier, robes his vic- ims w rous grace politeness entertaining them with choice wi : ing those of the fairer sex with a try which would have done honor to the Sees no Claude Duval of bygone days; but he was always in this humor. Time and a bad bis hand been stained with buman ood, and on several occasions he had shamefully : com (E(o)